GE supplies 12MW of electricity to Lekki FTZ

General Electric says it has inaugurated four of its Waukesha gas Enginators at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos, providing 12 megawatts of uninterrupted power supply to the first phase of the zone.

With three Waukesha 275GL+ and one VHP 7104GSI gas Enginators, this project is the largest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa using GE’s 275GL+ and VHP Enginator technology, the company said in a statement.

It said the engines’ wide fuel flexibility and ability to run on compressed natural gas and propane provided the operators with a cost-effective alternative to other fuels as well as the ability to meet the zone’s strict environmental guidelines regarding exhaust emissions.

The Assistant General Manager, Business Development, Lekki FTZ, Omodele Doherty, was quoted as saying, “The future of the Lekki Trade Zone is essential to Nigeria’s growth as West Africa’s economic driver. We cannot accomplish our expansion goals without a reliable source of continuous power, which is why we turned to GE’s Waukesha technology as a solution.”

The Lekki FTZ covers 16,500 hectares and is being developed in a joint venture between the Lagos State Government and the Chinese consortium, CCECC-Beyond International Investment & Development Company Limited.

The Waukesha Enginators were procured from GE and supplied by China Diesel Support Services Limited, a Hong Kong-based authorised distributor of the Waukesha gas engines.

According to the statement, the first phase of the Lekki FTZ electrical power needs and requirements at full occupancy are envisaged to expand to an estimated 540MW gross capacity, as the zone quickly develops into one of the largest free-trade commercial, logistics and manufacturing hubs in West Africa.